Sheet stacking mechanism



y 44- c. D. LAKE ET AL 2,348,073

SHEET STACKING MECHANI SM Original Filed Aug. 15, 1942 I 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 v IN T S sfiiw A TT ORNE Y c. D. LAKE ETAL SHEET STACKING- MECHANISM IN VE T OR 5 wk A TTORNE Y May 2, 1944. c. D. LAKE ETAL SHEET smcxme MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 15, 1942 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 hill INVNORS fw a z% i A TTORNE Y M y 2,1944'.. c. D. LAKE Em 2,348,013

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Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET STACKING MECHANISM Clair D. Lake,Binghamton,

ilton, Endicott, N. Y., ass Business Machines Co and Francis E. Hamixnors to International rporation, New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application August 15, 1942, Serial No.

ber 29, 1942, Serial Divided and this application Septem- 9 Claims. (Cl. 271-80) This invention relates to sheet stacking mechanisms and more particularly to the type which stacks sheets fed by successive c'yclic operations of the machine in an orderly manner so that they are stacked in a storage hopper in the same order in which they are fed from a supply hopper.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 454,912, filed August 15, 1942, and the of Fig.

3 is a section view taken on the line 3-3 1, and on an enlarged scale showing in detail the parts for maintaining the supply of sheets to be fed in the elevated position during successive sheet feeding operations.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the one-way driving Fig.

clutch utilized'in the driving train for the sheet a elevating mechanism.

are at difierent positions relative to the sheets grippers operated thereby, so that in the rotation of the rotary sheet seizing mechanism the -grippers carried thereby are operable at different positions of the sheet seizing mechanism, dependent upon the cam which is eflective and whether the rotary sheet seizing mechanism has been preliminarily rotated to an advanced starting position, whereby adjustment of the cams and the preliminary starting position of the rotary sheet seizing mechanism enables the rotary sheet seizing mechanism to seize sheets of different A still further object associated with the provisionof the diiierent operating cams is the provision of a manual control which enables either cam to be effective and to also control the preliminary starting position of a rotary sheet stacking member to thus condition the sheet stacking mechanism for stacking sheets of two orderly manner.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description of the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated; of applying that principle.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the assembled sheet feeding machine constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is'a side elevation view taken at the right side of the assembled machine.

ing the driving train Fig. 5 is a plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 of the sheet supply hopper, showing in particular the adjusting mechanism for changing the sheet receiving dimensions so that two difierent size sheets may be received thereby.

Fig. 6 is a plan view, partially in section, showfor the sheet adjusting and elevating mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation view taken at the right end of the machine, showing particularly the operating mechanism for the suction tube sheet pickup device for pickingup the sheets to be fed one at a time from the supply'hopper.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the left end 01' the machine, showing particularly the sheet conveying mechanism for feeding the sheets in successive position during successive cyclic operations of the machine. I

Fig. 9 is a section view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig 8. v

Fig. 10 is a detail view taken on the line iii-l0 of Fig. 8, showing particularly one of the operating cams of the machine and associated drivus ing train.

Fig. 11 is another view of the same mechanism buttaken on the line i i-l l of Fig. 8.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section view'oi' the machine taken on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 8.

. diflerent sizes or widths in the same emcient-and A Fig. 13 is a cross section view taken-on the line lit-l3 of Fig. 8 but on an enlarged scale to show details of the sheet stacking mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a section view showing in more detail the construction and assembly of the parts as sociated with the sheet stacking mechanism.

Fig.15 is a detail view taken of Fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a section view showing in detail the one-revolution clutch mechanism for the machine for eiiecting successive cyclic operations of the machine. I

Fig. 17 is a detail view taken on the line ll-l'l of Fig. 14.

, General description One function of the sheet feeding attachment shown herein is to facilitate transcription and reading of written data on the sheets to be fed so that when movedto viewing position the opon the line Iii-I5 pers,

sity for the operator to handle the sheets beyond the necessity of placing or removing a supply of sheets from the supply hopper and storage hoprespectively. The sheet feeding mechanism is preferably adjustable so as to be adaptable in the mainfor two sizes of sheets. 1h addition to the adjustment of the size of the supply hopper there is an adjustment in the sheet stacking mechanism to compensate for the change in sheet width. An adjustment of the hopper follower plate, or the base plate on which the supply of sheets is laid, is adjustable so that upon each sheet feeding operation the supply stack will be fed upwardly. a sufficient amount to maintain it in an elevated position which is maintained constant for all sheet feeding operations.

Sheets are fed singly from the supply hopper by means of a suction cup mounted on an oscillating arm. A stream of air is blown continuously against one edge of the sheets to prevent the sheets from adhering so that. the suction cup will not pick up two sheets at a time. When a cyclic operation of the machine is initiated the suc-- tion arm is moved to a lower position over the stack of sheets. The suction cup then slides closer to the sheets and a suction pump is released which creates a vacuum or suction in the suction cup to a'tube leading to it. Because of this vacuum the suction cup holds the sheet which it has picked up while the oscillating arm is restored to swing the suction cup and sheet to the upper limit of travel where the sheet is in' the receiving position of the conveying mechanism of the machine. At this point a pivoted door swings'down to holdthe sheet flat in the position on the bed and a cam actuatedvalve opens which admits air to the suction cup and releases the vacuum holding the sheet. At the terminatio of the first cyclic operation of'the machine the sheet is now in the initial position of the sheet conveying mechanism.

On the following cyclicv operation of the machine the series of events just described are repeated and the first sheet feed is pushed along the bed of the conveying mechanism by means of projecting lugs on two endless chains to the flrstvisible station. During this travel of the sheet it'moves out from under the door where it enters beneath four stretched guide wires.

' These guide wires guide the sheet on the bed to maintain it in position. j A third cyclic operation of the machine causes a new sheet to be fed and the two previously fed sheets move along the bed and the first sheet is now brought into what is known as asecondvisible station and the preceding sheet-fed is now brought to the first visbile station. precedes the printing station. When the sheet is in the second visible station the data may be conveniently read and after this a cyclic operation of the machine then ensues and the first sheet fed then moves into the printing station. It is obvious, of course, that all-of the sheets which are fed subsequently after the first sheet move along from station to station in the same manner so that-when the first sheet is moved to the printingstation successive sheets automatically follow. I

After printing has taken-place on each sheet the sheet is fed to a sheet stacking mechanism so that these sheets are all placed in the'storage hopper, properly stacked and in the same serial order in, which they are fed.

-is shown in Fig. 16 and attachedto this shaft is a gear 24 which drives a gear 25 to which is secured a toothed clutch disk 26.

e In order to cyclically drive the main drive shaft for the machine a one-revolution clutch of a conventional form is provided, which is fully illustrated in Fig. 16. Secured to the drive shaft 30 is a clutch arm 3| upon which is pivoted a spring urged clutch dog 32.provided with a clutch tooth 33 which is normally kept out of engagement with the teeth of the clutch disk 26 by a clutch release arm 34. The clutch release arm is provided with 9. depending portion providing an armature for a clutch control magnet 36.

Obviously, when the clutch control magnet 36 is energizedthe clutch release arm 34 is disengaged from the pawl 32-so that the clutch tooth 33 thereof engages one of the teeth of the clutch disk 26, thereby effecting the rotation of the shaft 30 in a counterclockwise direction. At the termination of the one-revolution of the shaft 30 the extension 38 of the .clutch pawl 32 is now engaged by the clutch release arm 34- which, in the meantime, has been restored to its normal position, shown in Fig. 16. This will eifect a disengagement between the clutch tooth 33 and the clutch disk 26, thereby stopping the rotation of the shaft 30 when a full revolution thereof has been effected. The usual retrograde preventing stop arm 31 is provided to prevent rebound of the clutch release arm 3| and hold the latter in the normal position, shown in Fig. 16. From the shaft 30 the various parts of the machine are operated and the cyclic operation is effected by an impulse transmitted to the clutch control magnet 36 each time that the cyclic operation is to be effected. No control,

circuits are shown herein for energizing the magnet 36 since this may be varied in many ways The second visible station just b and arLv suitable, control may be providedffor, controlling cyclicopei'ations, depending upon the use to whichfthe. present machine isput." I

' I S m ulwppe The hopper is adjustable so as to accommodate two diflerent sizes of sheets-and moor-- po'rates a construction which enables the thin sheets inserted in the hopper to. be picked off from the top in an eiiicient manner so that upon each cyclic operation of the machine a sheet will be removed from the top of the hopper. The assembled hopper is mounted upon a base plate 40 (Fig. 2) and mounted upon this plate are two side frame plates 4| (Fig. 3) and 42 (Fig. 2) and resting upon these supporting plates is a base plate 43 (Figs. 3 and 5). To the plate 43 there are secured two pairs of guide pins 44 and 45 which guide a plate 46 in its adjustment for adjusting the plate 46 either towards the operator or away therefrom.

The hopper comprises a pair of laterally adjustable vertical hopper guide plates 48 and 49 mounted on th plate 46, the plate 48 carrying a pair of guide studs 41 working in inclined slots 50 formed in the plate 43 and also in slots 5| of the plate 46. In the same manner the hopper I 54 in the plate 46 functionally cooperate with the front edges of port plate 43 and also with slots 54 in the plate 46. Obviously, when both hopper side plates 48 and 49 are moved rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. the action of cam slots 59, 58 on the cooperating studs 41, 52 will cause the guide plates to come closer the width of the sheet receiving space between the hopper side plates. At the same time the cooperation of studs 41 and 52 with the slots 5|,

will move the plate 46 rearwardly on the plate 43 guided by the pairs of studs 44, 45. The adjustment of the hopper side plates 48 and 49 is facilitated and secured by knobs 55 passing through the related plates 48 and 49 and preferably having a; screw extension screwed in a nut prevented from turning by slots similarly to those just described.

The sheets which are to be fed rest upon a floating base plate 56 and the manner in which it is guided to function as a floating base plate will be subsequently explained, it being noted that as shown in Fig. 5 when the hopper guide plates 48 and 49 are in the position shown these guide plates provide a sheet receiving width designated A in Fig. 5. When the hopper guide plates 48 and 49 are adjusted to be closer together, in such position the sheet receiving width is the narrowest, as designated by B. The greattogether so as to decrease est length of sheets that can be fed, with width A is designated by C, and when the width is narrowed to B, the available length is decreased to D. To prevent interference with the base plate 56 when adjusted to this narrowed width and length the hopper guide plates 48 and 49 are each provided with a cutout portion 69. (See also Figs. 2' and 3.)

The rear wall of the hopper is provided by an upstanding plate 6| (Figs. 3 and 5) which is fixed to the base plate and this rearward wall of the hopper is, of course, not adjustable.

The front wall of the hopper is provided by a plate 62 (Fig. 3) and at its lower end are attached hinges 63 which are fixed to a rod 64 which functions as a pivot for the plate 62. The rod 64 is pivoted in a U-shaped bracket 65 carried by the adjustable plate 46. In order to maintain the front wall plate 62 in the position shown in Fig.3, attached to the rod 64 is an arm 66 (Figs. 3 and 5) to which a tensioned spring 61 is connected. Hence, the front wall plate'62 is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 3 but it may be rocked by the operator soas to provide easy access to the positioning of a new supplyof sheets to be placed on the floating base plate 56.

It is preferable to hold down the top portion of the supply stack of sheets to prevent more than one sheet being fed at a time. To .this end the plate 62 has an over-hanging portion 68 which carries a threaded pressure screw 69 (Fig.3) and the latter is so adjusted that as the floating base plate 56 is urged upwardly the bottom part of the pressure screw 69 will press upon the stack for guiding a rack bar TI secured at its upper the smaller sized sheets in the same way and, of course, the pressure screw 69 will also press down upon the smaller sized sheets at the same relative position with respect to the larger sized sheets. Hence, the desirability of moving the plate 46 is evident.

To hold down the top sheets the rear wall plate has secured to it a pair of spring wires I3 having bent ends 14 over-hanging the displaced top sheets. Air is directed to the edges of these sheets as will be subsequently described, and such stop wires thereby prevent such sheets from being displaced too far.

Means ,for maintaining the stack of sheets in elevated position As the sheets are withdrawn from the supply stack one after the other it is necessary to elevate the base plate 56 to compensate for each withdrawal, whereby the top sheet of the supply stack will always be in the desired position to facilitate and insure its removal upon the next cyclic operation of, the machine. Means is preferably provided to effect a slightmovement of the base plate 56 for each removal of the sheet and is preferably efiected by the following described means: Depending from the support plate 43 is a bracket 15 (Figs. 3 and 6) which bracket provides a journal for some of the shafts to be presently mentioned and also carries a guide bar I6 end to the base plate 56 as shown in Fig. 3. Hence, the plate 56 is guided for upward or downward movement as is necessary. Meshing with the rack bar 71 is a pinion i8 fixed to a shaft 79 of paper at one point. It is also preferable to plate 46, the adjustment of the plate 46 to therear will causethe inclined cam portion 12 to journalled in the bracket plate 15 and the side plate 4|. Secured to the shaft 19 is a ratchet wheel 89 (Fig. 6) meshing with-a correspondingly formed ratchet wheel 8| (Fig. 6) which latter is secured to a gear 82 meshing with a pinion 63. The pinion 83 has fast to it a disk 84 which is riveted by a riv'et to a cup-shaped clutch housing member 86.

Referring now to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the main drive shaft 36 has secured to it an eccentrically mounted plate 81 cooperating with an eccentric ring 88 to which ring there is fixed a connecting rod 89. The action of the eccentric 81 on the ring 88 is to effect a reciprocating movement of the connecting rod 89 and during the downward movement of the rod 89 motion is communicated to the plate 56 through a one-way clutch mechanism now to be described. The lower end of the rod 89 is provided with bifurcated projections 99 which support a stud 9| fitting in a slot 92of a rock lever 93. The pin also passes through the extremity of a lever 94 which is pivoted at 95 and for the present description it will be assumed that the pivot 95 is in'the position shown in Fig. 3 so that when the connecting rod 89 is depressed it will rock the lever 93 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3. Interposed between the clutch housing 86 and the lever 93 is a one-way ball clutch of a. conventional form, this clutch also being shown in Fig. 4. Lever 93 is pivoted in the side plate 4| by means of a stud 95a and to the lever 93 at its pivotal point there is connected a cam plate 96 having the configuration shown in Fig. 4. Mounted upon a plate 91 is a plurality of mountings 98 for spring-urged plungers 99 which wedge the clutch balls I96 between the cam plate 96 and the interior of the housing 86. During the clockwise rocking of the-lever-93 a wedging action is effected between the cam disk '96 and the hous- 4. ing as so that the clockwise rotation of the housing'85 will be conveyed tothe gear 83, rocking the latter as 'viewedin Fig. 3 in-the same direction.

The clockwise movement of pinion 83 will rotate gear82 counterclockwise and through the clutch elements 80-8I pinion 18 will-also be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, thereby communieating an upward movement to the rack bar 11.

' During the'restoration of the rocking lever 33 the moved position, preferably by means of a brake arm IOI (Fig. 4) urged by a spring I02 against the periphery of the housing 85, thereby retaining the latter in its moved position.

It is sometimes desirable to be able to move the plate 55 to a position by manual means, particularly when a new supply of sheets to be fed is placed in the hopper. A- convenient means for providing for this comprises a handle wheel I03 (Fig. 6) which is fast to the shaft 19. It will be observed that by moving the handle I03 to the right as viewed in Fig. 6 to compress a spring I04, the clutch element 80 is disengaged from the companion clutch element 8 I so that shaft 19 may be manually rotated to elevate or lower the rack bar 11 as desired. As is shown in Fig. 2 the wheel I 03 is positioned outside of the frame plate 42 for convenient manual manipulation.

In order to provide means to vary the extent of rocking movement given tothe lever 33, the following means is preferably provided: The pin 9| is positionable at any place of the slot 92 and by positioning the pin 9| at the left end of the slot as shown in Fig. 3 the maximum amount of rock-,

ing movement is given to the lever 33 whereas if the pin 9| is positioned at the right end of the slot the minimum rocking movement is given to the lever 93. Obviously, any mid-position of the pin 9| will provide other extents of rocking movement given to the lever 93 The positionof'the pin 9| in the slot 92is'eifected b positionl gih 'j eg is ti n' t n; t link connection tion 35.prev.iously described articulates the'arm .34.

with an upstanding arm I05. {The arm'IIIQ-is attached to a rod I and at the other end of the rod I05 as viewed in Fig. 1 there is attached anv upstanding 'arm I01 and the latter is provided with an adjusting knob I08 positionable in a concentric slot I09, (Fig. 2). By unscrewing the knob I08from the arm I01 the knob may be adjusted in any portion ofthe slot I08 (Fig. 2) and by screwing the knob I08 tightlyagainst the plate 42 the position of adjustment is maintained.

, Hence, by rocking the arm I01 the shaft I06 will be commensurately rocked and therefore the arm I05 (Fig. 3) will also be rocked to position the arm 84 so that the pin 9| is in the desired posit'on' of the slot 82, enabling the desired amount of upward movement given to the sheet supply base plate 56.

Suction tube for picking 017 sheets The sheets are removed from the supply stack by a suction cup II5 (Figs. 1 and '7) and movement is given to the suction cup from the full line position shown in Fig. '7 to the dotted line position,

thence downwardly from such dotted line position to seize the top sheet and then backwardly to the full line position shown in Fig. '7. Means for effecting this movement will now be described: To the side frame plate II6 there is attached an upstanding bracket plate II1 (Figs.'1 and 2) in which is journalled a rod or rock shaft II8. To

5 the rock shaft II8 there is secured a downwardly .extending arm II8 to which is secured a pair of guide brackets I20 in which is slidably mounted the suction tube I2I which terminates at the suction cup H5. The upper end of the suction tube I2I has attached thereto a hose I22 which communicates suction to the suction cup II5 from a suction pump to be described hereinafter.

For moving the suction cup H5 from the full line position to the dotted line position, an operatlng train consisting of the following is provided. Mounted upon the drive shaft is a pair of complementary profile cams I23 cooperating with rollers of a follower arm I24 pivoted at I25. The upper end of the arm I24 has a 2: pvot connection I26 to a double arm I21, the

lower end of which is bifurcated to receive a pin I28 securedto the frame plate H5 and the upper arm of the double arm I2,1 has a pivot connection I29 to a link I30. Secured to the rock shaft 5 or rod H8 is an arm I3I and the link connection 30 consisting of two spaced plates which provide a between the arm I3I and the upper arm of .the double arm I21 comprises a link connection of which the member I30 is one portion of the link and the other portion is a member I32 pivotal connection I33 for a latch lever I34. The latch lever I34 is urged by a spring I35 so that the downward portion thereof engages a scalloped depression I35 of the member I30. Hence, by

35 the above construction it is obvious that the link connection between the double arm I21 and the arm I3l comprises an impositive link connec'- tion which enables the shortening of the link resulting possibly from an overthrow movement 40 of the arm I21 without damaging the connecting apparatus. Y 7

At. the beginning of the cyclic movement of the drive shaft the complementary cams I23 act upon the follower arm I24, rocking the same in a counterclockwise direction to rock the double in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 7, downarm [I21 by a compound movement in a countermelts fromjJits upperp'osition to the lower posl tiohx shown in- Fig. :7. After the suction tube is ward movement is given to the suction tube by means now to be described and when the suction tube is in the dotted position, further movement is given to it so as to engage the top sheet of the supply stack. A pitman I40 (see Figs. 1 to 'l) is provided with a closed guide slot I4I receiv ing the rock shaft H8 and the lower end of the 0 pitman I40 is provided with a follower roller I42 cooperating with a profile cam I43 secured to the driveshaft 30. By the action of the cam I43 on the follower roller I42 the pitman I40 is moved downwardly against the action of a spring I44 and by continued rotation of the cam I43 the pitman I40 is restored under the action of the tensioned spring I44.

From Fig 1 it will be seen that the pitman I40 is provided with a laterally extending yoke I45 (Fig. 1) and the upper portion I46 of this yoke is also provided with a closed slot like the closed slot I4I (Fig. 7) which also receives the shaft II8. By means of rivets I41 a cam plate I48 is secured to the part I45 and the cam plate 15 I48 isprovided with a cam slot I49 receiving a tion tube I2 I.

During the initial oscillating movement of the suction cup I I5 about the center of the rock shaft II8, the action of the cam slot I49 on the pin 1 50 will cause the suction cup to be moved slightly downward and this downward movement is completed when the suction cup H5 is in the dotted line position. After this position has been reached the cam I48 acting on the roller I42 will depress the pitman I40 and with the stud I50 in the left endof the slot I48 the cam plate I48 will also be moved away from the shaft II8 to cause the suction cup II5 to come in contact with the top sheet of the. supply stack. In this 'position of the suction cup H5 suction is applied thereto so that this will cause the suction cup to seize the top sheet, after which the cam I43 then effects the return movement of the pitman I40 and the suction cup H5 to its dotted line position. ,After the suction cup is elevated by the action of the cam I43 the suction cup carrying arm H9 is rocked back to its normal position by cams I23 and by the reverse actionof the cam slot I49 on the stud I50 and the latter is brought to the full line position shown in Fig. 7 with the top sheet which has been removed from the supply stack carried thereby.

Suction pump The suction pump is provided for the purpose of producing a suction atthe suction cup H5 at the time the suctioncup has been lowered to contact the uppermost sheet of the supply stack. I

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the suction cup comprises a cylinder I55 in which is disposed apiston I50 and to the piston there is connected a piston rod I51 and the latter is urged by spring I58 to contact with a profile cam I58 secured to the main drive shaft 30. The suction pump is provided with a bleeder valve I60 which registers with an orifice I6I of the cylinder. For rocking the bleeder valve I60'closed or open, the latter is provided with a connecting arm I62 cooperating with a cam I63 attached to a shaft I64 rotated in a manner to be subsequently described.

During the time that the suction cup I I5 is being moved to its dotted line position the bleeder valve I 60 is rocked by the cam 668 to open the valve and during this time the high portion of the profile cam I58 will shift the piston rod I51 and piston I56 to the upper part of the piston cylinder I55. After the suction cup II5 has been lowered to contact with the top sheet the cam I I63 rocks the arm I82 to close the bleeder valve I50 closely against the orifice I6I, thus sealing the cylinder. After this, the piston rod drops off the high part of the cam I59 and under the action of the spring I58 the piston is quickly drawn to the lower part of the cylinder, producing'a suction in the cylinder which is conveyed to the hose I22 which has a communication to the cylinder and also to the suction tube I2I as previously described and as is evident from Fig. 1. The suction. action at the suction cup II5 will cause it to seize the top sheet-and during the time that the suction cup is being restored to its normal position the suction action is continued to cause the suction cup to retain hold of the seized sheet. At a time in the operation of the machine for a purpose to be referred to more in detail hereinafter the bleeder valve I 60 isopened, destroying the suction in the suction cup I I5 so as torelease theseized sheet.

. a,a4a,o7s. 5 pin :50 tamed by bracket I5I fixed to the suc- Separation of sheets by air pressure In order toprevent the sheets from adhering to each other so as to facilitate the removal of only one sheet at a time, it is preferable to provide means for directing a blast of air at the edges of the sheets to effect their physical sepa-- ration.. In the present machine this is efiected by a means of an air supply tube I85 (Fig. 3) which has an-opennozale I68 disposed at the rear edge of the stack of-sheets. The fan'for directing air to the tube I65 is not shown herein since any conventional form will be satisfactory, it being noted that in the operation of the machine this fan continuously directs the air blast to the sheets in the manner just described.

Card gate 1 and 8 so that when'the gate is rocked down after having been rocked upwardly to a position for free placing of the sheet on the bed, the gate may rock back to its lowered position without interference with the suction cup II5.- By means of hinge .plates I attached to gate plate I10 a pair of hinge pins I12-are carried thereby and the pins I12 project in arcuate slots I13 formed in the side members I14 of a yoke I15 secured to the side-frame member I I6. Loosely pivoted at I16 to the side members I14 are arms I11 and said arms are pinned by pins I'11a (Fig. 8) to the related hinge pins I12; The gate I10 is normally disposed as shown in Fig. 12 and obviously as the arms I11'are rocked in a clockwise direction about their pivots I16 the pins I12 will follow the curvature of the slots I13 and the action on pin I12 by arms I 11 is to rock the pins clockwise to cause thegate I 10 to be rocked clockwise and when the hinge pins I12 are at the lower positions of the slots I13 the gate I10 is in such rocked and elevated position that there will be no interference by it when the suction cup deposits a sheet on the part of the bed plate I18 which was previously covered by the gate plate I10. For the purpose of rocking the gate in such position a link I19 is loosely pivoted to the hinge pin I12 and to a pivot stud I of an arm I8I secured to a rock shaft I82. A pair of such link and arm connections are provided so that each side of thegate may be rocked the same extent and by-rocking the shaft I82 the gate may be rocked upwardly, or lowered which has been placed by the suction cup.

The means for rocking the shaft I82 is best shown in Figs.'10 and 11 where it will be seen that to the shaft 30 there is secured a disk I83 which has a projecting cam portion I84 cooperating with a follower arm I85 securedto the rock shaft I82. Substantially at the time in the opera ation of themachinethat the-suction cup has been lowered to the dotted line position shown in Fig. '7, the cam disk I83 hasbeen rotated sumciently so that the camportion I84 engaging the follower'arm I05 will'rock the rock shaft I 82 to thereby elevate the gatesplate I10 and the cam portion I84 will retain the gate in such elevated I position and it will be held in such position, during the time that the suction cup H is restored to the position shown in Fig. 1 with the paper sheet just seized over the bed plate I18. The gate is held .-in such position by cooperation. of a projection I96 of the follower arm I 95 with an extension I91 cfthe disk I93. Ultimately, projection I96 drops off the extension I91, quickly rocking the gate plate I19 back to its normal position on top of the sheet just fed and thereby forcibly detaching it from the suction cup in the event that it should stick thereto. This action is assisted by a flat spring I91a (Fig. 12) struck by gate plate I 19. The bleeder valve I69 is rocked to destroy the vacuum at the suction cup while the gate plate is being shut so that the sheet will be freely detached from the suction cup. After this operation the suction cup II5 remains in the position shown in Fig. "l for a short time at the termination of the cycle of operation but before the cycle of operation is terminated the suction cup II5 begins to move slightly downward from the full line position shown in Fig. '1 so that when the next cycle of operation is initiated the suction cup begins to move downwardly from the slightly moved position.

Conveying mechanism A conveying mechanism is adapted to position the sheet in successive positions designated in Fig. 8 as A or the initial receiving position, thence to the B position or the first visible'position,. thence to position 0 or second visible position, and'thence to position D which may be the printing position" for .the sheet. The conveying mechanism by successive cyclic operations of the machine brings the sheets to these positions in succession. v

The conveying mechanism consists of 'a pair of endless chains I99 and I9I (Figs. 8, 9 and 12),

1.the chain I99 passing around sprocket wheels I92 and I93 (Fig. 12) which are secured to respective shafts I99 and I95. The chain I9I passes over similar sprocket wheels also secured to the aforementioned shafts I94 and I95. For driving the shaft I95 it will be observed that secured to the shaft 39 is a beveled gear I99 meshing with a beveled gear I99 secured to the drive .shaft I95. Also'secured to drive shaft I95 is a beveled gear I99 meshing with a beveled gear I99 (Figs. 8 and 9) attached to shaft I54 for rotating cam I99 (Fig. 2) previously referred to.

The chains I99 and I9I carry a plurality of lugs 292 which engage the sides of the wider sheets and are displaced the width of' the wider sheets. It is obvious for each cyclic operation of the machine that the narrow. or 'wide sheet is moved from one position to the successive position, it being shifted along by the lugs 292 at the right. In 'order to insure that the sheet will be fed over the plate I19 in this manner,

disposed over the plate I19 are four guide wires 295 (Figs. 1, 8, 12, 13). These guide wires are extended from a block 299 and are attached to respective hubs 295 which are adjustable upon a rod 296 so that each hub may be independ- -Sheet stacking mechanism- While the narrow or wide sheets which are that they are in the same order as they are fed.

To this end a sheet stacking mechanism shown particularly in Figs. 12 13, 14, 15 and 17 is provided.

Secured to the drive shaft 39 is a beveled gear 2I9 (Fig. 8) meshing with a beveled gear 2 secured to a drive shaft 2I2. The shaft 2I2 'as best shown in *Fig. 14 carries a pin 2I3' which projects through and to the outside of the shaft and engages at the outside of the shaft the diagonallyformed cam slots 2 I4 formed in a tube 2 I5 loosely mounted on the shaft 2I2. Two slots of the diagonal formation shown in Fig. 14 are formed in thetube 2I5 so that the extremities of pin 2I3 cooperate withthe respective diagonal slot. With thepin 2I3 as shown and with the tube 2I5 adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 14 by means to be later described, rotation. of the shaft 2I2 will cause the concomitant rotation of tube 2I5 and parts secured thereto in a manner now to be described.

To the tube 215 there is secured in any desirable manner a pair of sheet stacking drums 2I9 and 299, provided to stack the sheets of both narrow and wider widths. Within each stacking drum there is secured to one end of a rod 2" for the stacker drum 239 as shown in Fig. 1'7.

By means of the gear ratio between the beveled gears 2I9 and 2 the shaft 2I2 is given a half revolution for each cyclic operation of the machine. The members 2I9 and their gripper plates 229 carried thereby are sheet gripping devices,

one of which is operable for each stacking drum during each cyclic operation of the machine to seize the sheet, or in other words, for each stacking drum the sheet grippers are alternately effective. For the purpose of rocking the interconnected members 2I9 for the sorting drums 2I6 and 239 to efiect a separation between the effective gripper plates M9 and the periphery of the respective stacking drums 2I9 and 239 and for the closure of this space there is provided for stacking narrow sheets a double lobed cam member 22I having the contour shown in Fig. 15 and the cam member 22I should be considered as stationary during the rotation of the ently adjusted and the wire made ta'ut. When the sheetis fed from the receiving position to the first visible position" the sheet'passes undemeath the wire 293, retaining the sheet down on the bed plate I19 and such sheet is maintained in this position during the successive feeding of the sheets until the printing position is reached at which time a stacking mechanism seizes the sheet and stacks it in a storage hopper in a manner now to be explained.

sheet stacking drums 2I6 and 239.

The stacking'drum 2? is shown in Fig. 15 in normal position so that the gripper plate 229 has been moved away from the periphery of the drum 2I9. With cam member 22I in effective position, it is to be understocdthat the gripper plates 229 of the stacking drum 239 are also in the position shown in Fig. 15, due to the interconnection of the gripper devices by the connecting rods 2I1. As the stacking drums 2I6 and 239 rotate further counterclockwise, the cooperation of cam portion c will cause plates 2I8 to be rocked counterclockwise, causing the gripin the ends of the slots per plates 220 to be moved further away from v,.edge. of the sheet'is until, at some pointinfthe operation, edge is now under the gripperplates j-this, cam'portion' d enables the gripper plates.

' 220 to close to contact the periphery of the drums,

formed in the collar of the cam 23!. This set the periphery of the stacking drums 2l6 and 230 and as the wider gap'is being formed the leading being fed over bed plate !!8 the leading l 220. After holding the leading edge of the sheet-against the drums as the sheet is still fed by theconl veyor so that as the drums further rotate they will carry the sheet around.

' dicated by reference numeral 228 and receives the stop rods 22'! to guide the base plate as it moves downwardly against the action of the springs 229. 25 As the leading edge of the sheet strikes rods 221 cam portion e rocks the effective gripper plates 220 oi the stacking drums 2 i 6 and 230 to separate it from the periphery of the drums to release the hold on the now stacked sheets and at the end of the cycle operation the gripper plates then go to a closed position and then open position for the beginning of the next cycle. The above sequence of events takes place during two cycles of machine operation and by the sequential operation of the grippers associated with the stacking drums 2|6 and 230 one pair of grippers of the stacking drums may be efiective to turn the sheet around to be deposited in the storage hopperwhile the other grippers may be in position to receive a.

following sheet.

Means for adjusting timing of stacker drums to stack wider sheets The stacker drums 2l6 and 230 are not only utilized for stacking small sized or narrow sheets but also for stacking wider sheets but a change in timing of the operation of the effective grippers for the stacking'drums 2 6 and 230 is effected to accommodate the reception of the larger sized or wider sheets. I 5

The change in timing is eflected'by the utilization of a cam 23!- and the latter efiects the concurrent operation of the effective grippers of the stacking drums 2 i6 and 230 and'in the same manner as described for cam 22! but the .desired.timing, of the actuation of the grippers is somewhat diflerent, due to the diiierence in theangular position of the cam portion c-d from the same cam portions of cam 22 I.

As shownin Fig. 14, cam 23! is out of cooperative relationship with the stacker drum 230 when the cam 22! is in cooperative relationship with the grippers of the stacker drum 2! 6 which relationship isnecessary for stacking narrow sheets.

Inorder to selectively bring the aforementioned cam plates 22! and 23.! into cooperative relationship with the respective stacking drum, means is provided to render one effective when the other is ineffective. Slidably mounted between two frame plates 232 and 233 is a rod 234 and secured to the rod 234 are arms 235 and 236. The arm 235 has a hole which receives the collar of the cam 23! and cam 23! is fixed to the arm 235 by means of a set screw 23! passing through the arm 235 and engaging a part of an annular groove 238 screw and groove construction is preferably provided in order to enable close angular adjustment or the cam 23! to provide for the desired A similar connection is 236 and the cam 22lfor timing in operations. made betweerr the arm the same purposes. a

When the rod 234 is in the position shown in Fig. 14, cam 22! is eflective and therefore controls the grippers of the stacker drums M6 and 230 but when the rod 234 is moved towards the operator the cam 22! is moved out of cooperative relationship and the cam 23! is moved to such position that it will be effective to control the grippers of the stacker drums 2!6 and 230. After the cam 23!. is moved within the stacker drum 230 and after it engages a bushing 239 carried by the stacker drum 230, further movement of the-rod 234 towards the operator will cause the movement of the assembly which comprises the tube 2 I5 and the stacker drums 2l6 and 230 and parts carried thereby. Further movement of the rod 234 after this engagement is efiected will move this assembly towards the operator and by means of the diagonal slots 2 !4 in cooperation with the 1 pin M3 the tube 2l5 will be rotated slightly a counterclockwise, thereby giving the proper relationship of the eflective grippers associated with the stacker drums 2l6 and 230 with respect to itsoperating cam 23! to provide for the desired timing in operations. This movement ofthe stacking drums 2 l6 and 230 also positions the latter so that they are located somewhat centrally with respect to 'the sheet to be seized and fed.

To provide a convenient means of adjusting the rod 234 for stacking either narrow or widesheets a block 240 is pinned to the rod 234 and a link 24! provides a connection between the block 240 and adjusting lever 242 .(see Fig. 13). The latter works in a slot of an index plate 243 (see also Fig.

8) and the adjusting lever 242 is adjustable to positions on the index plate marked Small" and -Large to select the desired cam for stacking narrow or wide sheets, respectively. From Fig. 8 it is obvious that when a sheet is in the printing position designated by 'D a wide sheet will, at the termination of a machine operation, be somewhat closer to the stacking mechanism than a narrow sheet, and in general, the change in tim- 0 ing. is provided so that when stacking narrow sheets the machine provides for gripping the narrow sized sheets somewhat earlier in the cyclic operation of the machine than for feeding wide sheets. For securing the gripping of the wider sheets later in the cycle of operation the efiective cam portion c-d of the cam 23! is disposed as shown in Fig. 17. In general, the operations are the same, that is, the pair of gripper plates of the stacking drums 2!6 and 230 which are effective open up. as the wide sheet is being fed by the conveyor mechanismand during a certain .point in the operation of the machine the leading edge I of the sheet is completely under the gripper plates and over the periphery of the stacking drums 2!5 and 230. The effective gripper plates now ride down the cam portion (1, causing the eiiective gripper plates to hold the leading edge or the sheet firmly against the periphery of the stacking drums H6 and 230. The seized sheet is carried around in the same manner and is also stacked in the storage hopper in the manner previously described in detail so that a repetition of the descript on is believed to be unnecessary.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features her, one cam having a formation ited only as indicated by the scope of the follow- I ing claims: v

What/is claimed is:

1. A/machine for selectively stacking narrow or. wide sheets, meansfor successively feeding said sheets the same extent for each sheet feeding operation, a rotary sheet stacking member carrying grippers for seizing and holding the sheet to be stacked, means for rotating said mem- ,ber for each cyclic operation of the machine, a plurality.of selectively operable cams for operating said grippers during the rotation of said memto open said grippers at one position of the member to receive a narrow sheet fed by the feeding means, and

.the other cam having a diiferent cam formation so disposed as to operate the grippers at an advanced position of the memberto compensate for the extra width of the wide sheet fed by the feeding'means, and means to effect a predetermined extent of rotation of said stacking member and said grippers relative to the'cam having the different cam formation when the latter is selected for operation.

2. A machine for selectively stacking narrow or wide sheets, means for successiveiy feeding of rotation of said drum and grippers when one of said. cam plates is rendered effective and the other ineffective.

4. A machine for successively feeding and stacking relatively narrow and wide sheets comprising, a rotary sheet stacking drum, means for rotating said drum for each cyclic operation of the machine, a sheet receiving gripper pivotally mounted on said drum, a plurality .of movable cam plates movable relative to said drums but fixed during the rotation of said drum for operating said gripper during the rotation of said drum to open said gripper at different positions of the drum to receive a wide or narrow sheet and hold the sheet as the drum carrying the sheet rotates, and subsequently open to release said narrow or wide sheet, selecting means for 'moving said cam plates relative to said drum for rendering either cam plateeflective' to operate the gripper according to its cam formation, and. means controlled by said selecting means upon selecting one of said cam plates for rotating said drum relative to the rotating means for effecting a predetermined relationship between said grippers and said cam plate while maintaining an operative connection between said drum and the rotating means.

5. A machine or wide sheets comprising a rotary sheet stacking member, means for rotating said member l for each cyclic operation of the machine, pivoted sheet receiving and holding grippers carried by said member, a plurality of cams fixed as said said sheets the same extent for each sheet feeding operation, a rotary sheet stacking member carrying grippers for seizing and holding the sheet to be stacked, means for rotating said member for each cyclic operation of the machine, a plurality of selectively operable cams for operating said grippers during the rotation of said member, one cam having a formation to .open said grippers at one position of the member to receive a narrow sheet fed by the feeding means, and the other having a different cam formation so disposed as to operate the grippers at an advanced position of the member to compensate for the extra width of the wide sheet fed by the feeding means, selecting means for rendering one cam effective to operate the grippers while the other cam is rendered ineffective, and means rendered effective by said selecting means for caus ing a predetermined extent of rotation from normal of said stacking member and said'grippers relative to the second named cam when the latter is selected for operation, and for restoring said stacking member and grippers to normal when .fixed relative to the rotation of said drum for operating said gripper during the rotation of said drum and having cam formations to open said gripper at different positions of the drum so as to receive a wide or narrow sheet and hold the sheet as the drum carrying the sheet rotates, and subsequently open to release'said narrow or wide sheet, selecting means for rendering either cam plate eflective to operate the gripper according to its cam formation, and means controlled by said selecting means for concurrently shifting said drum and for effecting aagiredete'rmined extent member rotates and having cam formations for operating said grippers to open the latter at dif-- ferent positions of said member for receiving wide or narrow sheets fed thereto, means for selectively rendering said. cams effective for operating the grippers according to their cam formations, and means to effect-a predetermined supplemental-rotation of said sheet stacking member relative to said cams when one cam is rendered ineffective and another cam is rendered effective to operate the grippers.

6. A machine for selectlvelystackingg narrow or wide sheets comprising a rotary sheet stacking member, means for rotating said member for each cyclic operation of the machine, pivoted sheet receiving and holding grippers carried by said member, a plurality of cams movable relative to said member but fixed as said member rotates and having cam formations for operating said grippers to open the latter at different positions of said member for receiving wide or narrow sheets fed thereto, means for moving said cams relative to said-member for selectively rendering said cams effective for operating the grippers according to their cam formations, and means to effect a predetermined supplemental rotation of said sheet stacking member relative to said cams when said cams are moved so that one cam is rendered ineffective and another cam is rendered effective to operate the grippers.

7. In a machine for selectively stacking sheets, the combination of a rotary sheet stacking member carrying grippers for seizing and holding the sheet to be stacked, means comprising a shaft for rotating said member for each cyclic opera for selectively stacking narrowthe second named cam to provide said advanced ber, means comprising a pin and diagonally arranged cam slot forming the operative connecting means between said shaft and said member, and selecting means for rendering one cam effective to operate the grippers while the other cam is ineffective and for concurrently through said pin and cam slot connection causing a predetermined extent of rotation of said stacking member and said grippers relative to the second named cam to said advanced rotated position.

8. In a machine for selectively. stacking sheets, the combination of a rotary sheet stacking member carrying grippers for seizing and holding the sheet to be stacked, means comprising a shaft for rotating said member for each cyclic operation of the machine, a plurality of selectively operated cams for operating said grippers during the rotation of said member by said shaft, one cam having a formation to operate said grippers at one position of the member, and the other having a different cam formation so disposed as to operate the grippers at an advanced rotated position of the member, camming means forming the continuous operative connection between said shaft and said member, and selecting means for rendering one cam. effective to operate the grippers while the other cam is inefiective and for concurrently through said camming means causing a predetermined extent of rotation of said stacking member and said grippers relative to rotated position of said member.

9. In a machine for selectively stacking sheets, the combination-of a rotary sheet stacking mom- 5 her carrying grippers for seizing and holding the sheet to be stacked, means comprising a shaft for rotating said member for each cyclic operation of the machine, a plurality of cams fixed during the rotation of said member for operatingsaid 10 grippers during the rotation of said member by said shaft and shiftable to be selected for operation individually, one cam having a formation to operate saidgrippers at one position of the mem-.

her, and the other having a diiferent cam forma- 5 tion so disposed as to operate the grippers at an advanced rotated position of the member, means to effect a predetermined extent of rotation of said member to effect said advanced rotated position, and selecting means for shifting said cams 20 to render one cam effective to operate the grippers while the other cam is shifted to be ineffective, and for concurrently causing the operation of said last named means to effect a predetermined extent of rotation of said stacking mem- 25 her and said grippers relative to the second named cam when the latter is shifted to be selected for operation.

' CLAIR D. LAKE.

FRANCIS E. HAMILTON. 

